Debian modprobe: Can't locate module char-major-60 (server hangs!)

[Mihails Nikitins]

Hi,

I do not think it's the best place to ask about Debian, but ITRC is the best place to get really good feedback.

I have just installed my first Debian server 3.0r1 on HP PA-RISC K210
(palinux-2.4.20). I made installatiion using console device /dev/ttyB0.

After reboot I got the message, and the system became frozen.

Jun 27 15:08:47 smsmail4 modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module char-major-60
Jun 27 15:08:49 smsmail4 last message repeated 9 times
Jun 27 15:08:49 smsmail4 init: Id "T0" respawning too fast: disabled
for 5 minutes

Everything is working in single-user mode (/sbin/sulogin starts just fine from /etc/inittab)

Getty for ttyB0 gives the same error.

bash-2.05a# /sbin/getty -L ttyB0 9600 vt100
modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module char-major-60

I tried to change devices or even to comment getty out from /etc/inittab, but
the server still hangs.

I suspect something could be fixed in /etc/modules.conf

Many thanks and points in advance for your help!

BR,
Mihails

[Steven E. Protter]

As a first diagnostic step, I would take the offending device out of the server, re-run the modprobe and see what happens.

A K270 is a pretty older server, and there is no guarantee that every device is still working.

Another possible avenue of investigation is to try a HP-UX install and see if everything shows up on ioscan afterwards.

Some of the Network cards from that era are very sensitive about whether or not they are connected to a switch, and the settings on the switch.

The settings on the switch need to be explicit, not auto-negotiate, and you are better off with good network connections to any and all NIC cards in the box.

I guess the last point would be not every PA-RISC box is going to work right with pa-linux.

You've got some hope though, just need to start by eliminating obvious problems.

SEP

[Zeev Schultz]

post /etc/modules.conf utput
cat /proc/hsc ( or /proc/gsc) - since k270
doesn't have PCI local bus.
modprobe -c shows all the needed info about modules (where and how).
also cat /proc/devices.
And I would compare /var/log/messages from last boot with previous one (like OLDsyslog in hp-ux) to see
devices tree.Or to check /etc/sysconfig/hwconf (this is the path on RH,on debian its different,do find / -name hwconf).Its used by kudzu - hw detection utility.

[Mihails Nikitins]

Thanks for your feedback!

The server worked fine under HP-UX. I understand the idea to compare hardware under 2 OS.

Anyway, It's still unclear for me what is the meaning of message
modprobe: Can't locate module char-major-60
from OS point of view.

I attach modules.conf, 'modprobe -c' and /etc/inittab.

I still hope to locate problem from another end.
Single-user is OK, some 'bad' processes appear on higher level, probably getty on misconfigured port.

Thanks in advance for more help!

BR,
Mihails

[Steven E. Protter]

If the device was working in HP-UX right before the Linux install, then its probably not supported under pa-linux. Or it just happened to fail right then, which seems ludicrous.

Perhaps you could post up the part number so we can take a look at the hardware compatiability list on the pa-linux site.

I would imagine further that HP has probably run some tests on that hardware, so with a part number we might be able to rattle some cobwebs and come up with a driver or kernel hack.

SEP

[Caesar_3]

Hello!

Looks that linux cann't find the device
or it's unsuported.
I think you should see on the site of
debian for risk if they have updates or
drivers for the device.

Caesar

[Zeev Schultz]

Mikhails,
See this thread :http://linux.toshiba-dme.co.jp/ML/tlinux-users/2500/2514.html
Although the problem is different,they point
to places where to look.
1)kernel config
2)char-major-60 could be the infra red / irda?
3)check /etc/modules (things that are to be loaded at boot time,compare to lsmod)

What is really strange is that it's not related
to getty,otherwise you wouldn't get login event
at single user.
I'd go for a clean kernel build + check of what devices do you have there + check of bugs in debian knowledge bases (like bugzilla in RH)

Zeev

[Zeev Schultz]

another thought is from here:http://www.linuxdocs.org/HOWTOs/Remote-Serial-Console-HOWTO/configuration.html

You are using serial (rs-232) port,may be ttyB0
is not the device but ttyS0 is?

Zeev

[Mihails Nikitins]

Thank you,

The problem is solved.

Console ttyB0 had the wrong major number. It should be character major 11.

Fix os as follows

1. Boot in single user mode

2.

# cd /dev
# rm ttyB0
# mknod ttyB0 c 11 0

BR,
Mihails